CHRISTIANBURG \u2013 Alabama and Virginia Tech wrapped up competition at the Hokie Invitational, taking all 12 events. Alabama\u2019s Emma Saunders put up an impressive double while the men\u2019s 200 breast gave the crowd an exciting race all the way to the finish.<\/p>\n
Saunders, who won the 200 free and 100 back yesterday, stepped up for two finals tonight and won the 200 back with a 1:54.27 and the 100 free with a 49.94. She won the 200 back by a second, with Klaudia Nazieblo of Virginia Tech placing second with a 1:55.23 and teammate Holly Harper third with a 1:57.27. In the 100 free, Meredith Vay of South Carolina was second with a 50.21 while Bailey Scott of Alabama placing third with a 50.55.<\/p>\n
Nils Wich-Glasen appeared to have the title in the men\u2019s 200 breast well in control, leading by a full second over Alabama\u2019s Anton McKee at the 150-yard mark. But McKee put up a 29.44 final 50 yards to Wich-Glasen\u2019s 30.62 to eke out the win, 1:55.76 to 1:55.98. Well back in third was Pavel Romanov of Alabama with a 1:58.02.<\/p>\n
Morgan Latimer of Virginia Tech put up a dominant swim with a 1:44.30 in the 200 fly, putting him in the top five in the collegiate standings. He was two seconds ahead of Alabama\u2019s Connor Oslin, who posted a 1:46.76 for second. Taylor Charles of Alabama took third with a 1:47.56.<\/p>\n
Virginia Tech started off the night by winning the women\u2019s and men\u2019s 1650s. Jessica Hespeler took the women\u2019s mile with a 16:30.50 over Villanova\u2019s Caitlin Daday, who posted a 16:33.67, and the 16:36.581 by South Carolina\u2019s Victoria Mitchell. In the men\u2019s 1650, Virginia Tech\u2019s Michal Szuba and Jake Ores separated from the pack to wage a two-person battle for the win. After more than 15 minutes of swimming, it was Szuba who got the win, 15:11.30 to 15:11.33. Tom Peribonio of South Carolina took third with a 15:18.03.<\/p>\n
Virginia Tech, the meet host, enjoyed four more wins on the final night. Weronika Paluszek took the women\u2019s 200 breast with a 2:10.24, well ahead of the 2:12.38 by Alabama\u2019s Kaylin Burchell and the 2:12.90 by Virginia Tech\u2019s Mackenzie Stewart. Much more dominant in her win was Nazieblo, who recovered from her 200 back runner-up finish to win the 200 fly with a 1:55.90. At this point, that\u2019s the second-fastest swim in the collegiate ranks, just behind the 1:55.59 by Jasmine Tosky. Breaking two minutes was teammate Maggie Gruber with a 1:59.73, while Mia Nonnenberg of Alabama was third with a 2:00.91.<\/p>\n
Collin Higgins, ninth in the 200 back at last season\u2019s NCAAs for Virginia Tech, won that event handily tonight with a 1:42.69. That\u2019s a little more than two seconds off his lifetime best, but one of the top five swims in college this season so far. In his first swim of the night, Oslin placed second with a 1:44.63 while Robert Owen of Virginia Tech was third with a 1:45.35.<\/p>\n
Alabama\u2019s Kristian Gkolomeev took the sprint freestyle double with a 43.28, which may stand as one of the top five swims of the college ranks so far this season. Teammate Brett Waslsh nearly cracked 44 seconds with a 44.13 for second, while Owen Burns of Virginia Tech finished third with a 44.23.<\/p>\n
Alabama closed out the meet by taking both of the 400 freestyle relays. The women\u2019s team won by a fingernail over Virginia Tech, 3:20.18 to 3:20.19. The Hoies\u2019 \u201cC\u201d team placed third with a 3:24.52. In the men\u2019s race, Alabama\u2019s sprint depth was no match for the field as the Crimson Tide posted a 2:54.45 for the win. Virginia was a distant second with a 2:57.20, while South Carolina was third with a 2:57.67 after leading Virginia Tech by three tenths going into the final leg.<\/p>\n